Burgundy Night Sky
by Knight Terror
Summary: Sanji and Robin share a quiet drink under the stars and reminisce about their adventures together. Robin decides to take a chance and partake in more than just wine.


**Burgundy Night Sky**

Robin loved the smell of the sea.

She shut her eyes and inhaled deeply, shutting out her other senses as she tasted the salt air in the back of her mouth.

She loved being on this ship just as much as she loved sailing with this crew, and she wouldn't have traded any of it for anything, even the secrets of the past she had so long been pursuing. She opened her eyes and gazed up at the majestic night sky with its dazzling diamond stars. It was a warm night with a comfortable breeze, and she felt the ship rock soothingly beneath her as she lay peacefully upon her deck chair.

The _Thousand Sunny_ was docked just off Orca Island, home to a monster volcano called The Dragon's Throat. Occasionally the surface of the island would crack and reveal a fissure underneath where warm air escaped, which would normally be dangerous to casual wanderers, except the island's inhabitants had found a way to profit from the seismic events by strapping tourists to harnesses over designated cracks in the landscape and allowing the blast of warm air to fire them up towards the sky.

Naturally, most of the crew had been eager to indulge in such a perilous activity, and she had volunteered to remain on board for the first day. She had been sunning herself while reading a geological text about the island as the sun dipped below the horizon, but once the night had arrived, she was too comfortable to stand up and find a new light source. Now her book lay forgotten beside her, her wide-brimmed hat resting on her knee and her arms pillowed behind her head as she gazed at the stars.

She breathed the sea air in again as she heard footsteps climbing up towards her from the lower deck. They were too heavy to be Nami's or Chopper's, and too light to be Franky's. They were smooth and steady, which ruled out Brook and Usopp, and had it been their captain Luffy, he would have announced himself with much more noise. That left one of two people, but the absence of the steady metal clinking of swords alongside the footsteps ruled out their swordsman Zoro.

There was only one person it could be.

"Good Evening Sanji." Robin spoke cheerfully without looking behind her.

"Evening Robin-chan." Sanji replied with enthusiasm as he set a tray down on the small table beside her.

"I brought you a burgundy I found in the town. The shops had quite an impressive selection despite how small they were. Would you like a glass?"

"Very much, thank you." She replied.

Sanji uncorked the bottle and poured the rich red wine into two glasses.

"You came back all on your own?" She inquired as he handed her a glass, portioned just the way she liked it.

"Moss Head was with me, but he got lost." Sanji shrugged. "Luffy and the others are still catapulting themselves into the air. Nami-san found a fortune teller to read her palm but unfortunately wouldn't let me listen in."

He sighed as he lit up a smoke. "So, I decided to get the groceries back and check on you."

Robin sampled the wine and felt the smooth fruity layer give way to the zesty tannin aftertaste.

"This is excellent," Robin exclaimed. "How many bottles did you buy?"

"Only two, but I can go back tomorrow for more." Sanji swirled the wine in his glass and took a sip of his own. "Heavier than I would have expected, but very rich. Kicks you in the back of the throat."

Robin chuckled and set her hat down on the deck between them. She was pleasantly surprised Sanji hadn't dropped his jaw over her outfit yet, as he so regularly did whenever she was sunning herself. Her plumb-colored vest was only covering her chest with the aid of a single button which she had lazily fastened only after the sun had vanished. He also couldn't have known that under her silk sarong she only wore the type of bikini bottoms that were meant to help her maximize on the area she was tanning.

He, as always, wore his button-up suit, though he had removed his jacket and hung it on the corner of his own deck chair. She smirked. He was the only pirate she knew who insisted on wearing a tie.

He exhaled a puff of smoke and took another sip. "You're the only one on this ship who appreciates a good red wine like I do." He commented.

Robin raised her glass and Sanji, in turn, clinked it against hers.

"Here's to a refined palate." She smirked. "And not having to share with the others."

Sanji was quiet for a moment as a comfortable silence settled between them.

"Robin, I feel I owe you an apology."

She raised an eyebrow.

"What for?"

"Back at Water Seven, I was there at the station and I saw you board the sea train with Lucci and the others. I was being careful not to give away my position as I wanted to make sure you got on the train before I left a message for the others, but I saw that moment when you paused, right before you stepped on board."

Robin's memory found the moment he was referring to. Despite the coach being well-lit and looking inviting, it had smelled sterilized like a room where animals were euthanized, and even the feel of the air around her felt hostile. It had seemed like she was about to take a step forward that would set forth a chain of events that could never be undone. The point of no return. She had been wrong of course, but in that moment, she had hesitated, and her resolve had faltered. Despite the sensation, she remembered it only lasting for a fleeting instant.

"Your hand was shaking." Sanji continued. "I saw it. It was the crack in your armor. It was the moment I knew that despite your actions you were subconsciously hoping for a rescue. Then Lucci shoved you inside. He put his hand into your back and roughly pushed you forward."

Robin barely remembered that part.

Sanji continued, his voice heavy with guilt, his eyes lowered in shame. "That was the moment I should have acted. I could have saved you then, but I froze. I don't know why. I could have saved you from Enies Lobby and all the pain you went through. What we all eventually went through."

Robin sat up and leaned over towards him.

"Sanji, stop it." She commanded.

He went silent and took another sip from the wine glass but didn't meet her eyes.

"Are you saying because you saw Rob Lucci shove me you've been feeling ashamed of yourself this whole time?"

Sanji scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

She took his hand. "Look at me."

He turned his head and made partial eye contact with her. If she was having this conversation with anyone other than Sanji the chivalrous white knight, she would have assumed they were joking.

"I can't believe I need to explain this, but you have _nothing_ to apologize for." She squeezed his hand. "Your acting at that moment wouldn't have changed anything. In fact, it may have gotten you killed."

"I'm a pirate, I'm prepared to die daily. You were scared at that moment. I saw it in your eyes." Sanji whispered, and Robin suddenly realized the burgundy wasn't the first drink he had sampled that night.

"Hey!" She said sharply and set her own glass down to wrap both her hands around his. "Your standards of what constitutes a hero are too high, Sanji."

She continued in a lower, more soothing voice.

"You got on that train and you came for me, and the others were able to follow me because of your discretion and stealth. You, Usopp and Franky very nearly saved me all on your own before we even got to that island."

Sanji ran his hand through his blonde hair. "If I had been…"

"No, Sanji." She stopped him. "That wasn't because you weren't strong enough. I made the choice I did to protect all of you, but I had no idea the lengths you were all prepared to go for me. You never failed me. I _allowed_ myself to be taken to that tower where I was dragged and beaten, but I don't regret any of it, because we all made it back out again."

Sanji grit his teeth in frustration.

"Franky told me what they did to you."

"And yet, I'm _here_." She stressed each word. "Sanji! Look at me." She raised her hand and turned his face to look towards her.

"You've never been anything but a hero in my eyes." She smirked. "I don't think you hear it enough, but we all appreciate what you do so much on this ship. Obviously, there's the food, but it's not just that. You've got a noble heart, even Nami knows that, and when you're not acting obnoxious and shamelessly fawning over us, the two of us girls very much admire you."

Sanji smirked and took another long sip of his drink. He wiped at his eyes with the back of his sleeve and breathed a deep sigh of relief.

"Thanks, Robin-chan. I understand it doesn't really make sense, but I guess I just needed you to know, in that moment in front of the train when you felt afraid, you weren't alone."

He raised their clasped hands and delicately kissed the back of hers.

_God damn it… _She thought.

Robin felt a fluttering of something stir deep down within her belly, and suddenly she felt herself shrug off a shawl of prudence she had resolved to always wear around her crewmates. Maybe it was the wine or maybe it was the starlight on his smile, but suddenly the twinkle in his eye was far more attractive to her than it had ever been before. She raised her glass and drained it in a few deep swallows. Then she stood up.

"Sanji…" She whispered.

He looked up at her as she undid the tie on her sarong and let it fall to the deck, revealing her skimpy bikini bottoms she had once vowed never to let anyone else catch a glimpse of. She carefully lifted her leg and sat down upon his lap, gently plucking the cigarette from his mouth and tossing it aside before she placed both her hands on his face, leaned forward, and kissed him.

She felt his body tense up in sudden surprise, but then in the next moment relax as one of his hands gently found the small of her back while the other cupped her cheek.

The kiss lasted a few seconds longer than she had anticipated. His mouth tasted of bitter nicotine, but one layer above that was the savory flavor of the wine they had shared, and she had enjoyed the sensation of it upon his lips. She half expected his nose to start bleeding and his eyes to bug out in ecstasy, but surprisingly enough he remained composed.

"Robin-chan…" He whispered.

She let herself get lost in the moment and she kissed him again, more playfully this time, and she ran a graceful hand through his hair. She repositioned herself and leaned into him as she felt both his hands run up her back and disappear under the vest. No one had touched her that way in a long while, and she couldn't deny she was enjoying it. Most of the world had heard about the terrifying skill Blackfoot Sanji was capable of with his feet and legs, but she was starting to think she may be the only one who knew he was equally as skilled with his hands.

She took in his scent and kissed him again, her tongue connecting with his, her dark hair covering his face as she leaned in. He massaged her back with his warm hands for a moment before one hand descended and caressed her ass. She had half a moment of apprehension before it melted away into appreciation. Their mouths disconnected and for a moment they just breathed in each other's scent, their foreheads pressed gently together, and Robin felt herself smile.

"You're so beautiful…" He exhaled passionately.

"And you're amazing Sanji." She playfully whispered back.

He lifted a hand and delicately stroked her hair, his fingertips dancing nimbly behind her ear and running down her neck, shoulder and lower back. He leaned forward and initiated a kiss towards her, which she accepted willingly, feeling his stubble tickle her chin.

He squeezed her ass and she snorted playfully, their noses rubbing together, lips locking and unlocking in an unspoken rhythm. His hands traveled back up her sides and found their way under her vest, and suddenly they were on either side of her ribcage.

Robin leaned forward and let him kiss her neck, and then she slowly raised an arm and unbuttoned the single clasp that was between them. Her vest fell open in invitation and Sanji delicately cupped her breasts in either hand as he continued kissing her neck. She closed her eyes and sighed with pleasure as he explored her with warm fingers. Beneath her she felt his excitement growing under his belt and she rested her hands on his in response and guided them, so his hands fully enclosed around her breasts. She shivered and tilted her head back as he teased her nipples with his thumbs.

"Sanji…" She whispered as he began kissing her down her neck and chest. She ran a hand under his dress shirt and felt his heart racing beneath his chest.

Feeling the sensation of her hands upon his bare chest, she suddenly found herself at a crossroads inside her own head, and the paths forward were extremely foggy. She was enjoying herself but knew the point of no return was fast approaching, and if she didn't want to lead him on, she couldn't in good conscience go any further. She was about to say something when he slipped his hand beneath her bikini bottoms and cupped her ass again.

She smiled at the sensation and for half a heartbeat his touch nearly changed her mind, but she slowly bent forward and whispered into his ear.

"Sanji…"

He paused and looked up at her and his hair fell back away from his face, his eyes filled with admiration, excitement and wonder. There was no lust. No greed. She had never seen both his eyes at the same time before. They were striking, but even more so they were warm and kind.

She gave him a shy smile, and without words, he realized what she was saying. He slowly removed his hands and she gave him one long final kiss before rebuttoning her vest. She leaned back, smiling a big goofy grin of pleasure.

Sanji let out an awkward chuckle and caressed her cheek with his fingers again.

They looked into each other's eyes for a moment before they heard a clamor of noise from below deck. It sounded like Zoro had found his way back to the ship and had dropped at least one of his swords when he tripped walking up the gangplank.

Both Robin and Sanji laughed as she stood up and picked up her sarong, fastening it around her waist again before setting her cowboy hat elegantly back on her head. She wondered if she looked as flushed as he did. His shirt was untucked, and his tie was askew, but she had never seen him with a bigger smile on his face.

"Thanks for the wine Sanji." She sat back down in her seat. "It was the best I've had in a long while."

Sanji stood up and straightened his outfit, composing himself as they heard Zoro cursing from down below.

"Thank you for allowing me to enjoy your company." He beamed.

He picked up the tray with the bottle and the glasses and turned without making a move to touch her again, which she took as a good sign that he knew exactly where things stood.

Right before he reached the steps, she called out to him.

"Sanji, remember… No regrets." She spoke with a hint of playfulness.

"No regrets," He replied with confidence. "Good Night Robin-chan."

She listened to him descend the stairs and immediately covered her rosy cheeks and enormous cheesy smile with her hands.

9 Page


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